Signal device for automobiles.



L. L. scars/um & T. w. YBEUCHEL.

SIGNAL DEVICEFOB AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED 111M112, 1915.

1,215,203. 1 Patented Feb. 6,1917.

i INVELNTORS. x Leonard .L-Sc/zmz'dt Q gage LE- Theodore WBezzcheZ? WITNESSES:

. pen to be in the I will be UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD L. SCHMIDT AND THEODORE W. BEUCHEL, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LEONARD L. SCHMIDT and THEODORE W. BEUCHEL, citizens of the United States, residing at Belleville, 1n the county of St. Clair and State of Ill1n01s, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Signal Devicesfor Automobiles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference bem had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

Our invention has relation to mprovements in signal devices for automobiles; and it consists in the novel features of construction more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claim.

The present improvement is particularly directed to signal devices which shall indicate the direction of the proposed route of an automobile or other vehicle after dark, so that pedestrians and occupants of vehicles both in front and in the rear of the signaling machine may be informed in ample time in what particular direction such machine is about to travel. The object of the invention'is to provide a system of electricallycontrolled signals which, upon the manipulation of a proper switch, push-button-or equivalent circuitclosing device, will respond in the form of an illuminated sign or letter (or sounding device),- at each end of the automobile (or other vehicle) in full view or hearing) of all persons who happath or neighborhood of such vehicle, thereby giving ample time to prevent collision or avoid accidents. A further object is to provide means for permanently illuminating the license tag or plate from the common source ofelectric current which traverses the switch or push-button aforesaid. The advantages of the invention fully apparent from a detailed description thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is an outside elevation of the rear light casing or box of an automobile, with parts broken away; Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof with license -carrying bracket in cross-section; Fig. 3 is a top plan of Fig. 1 with lid removed; Fig.4 is a vertical cross-section on the line 14 of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 12, 19.15. Serial No. 38,720.

' pended or hinged to abracket which the rear license plate lfig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a top plan of the rear light casing showing the manner of mounting the same, parts being broken away.

Referring to the drawings, 4 represents the rear light casing or box, preferably sus- 5 secured to any convenient part of the machine, the back of the casing being provided with a laterally projecting 'arm or bracket 6 to p P is secured. The casing 4 isdivided into a series of adacent compartments a, b, 0', and a fourth tail light compartment 03, the front ends of the division walls to between said compartments and the ends of the casing being equipped with grooved or channeled strips for receiving the transparent slides or plates 8 on which are marked or formed the transparent direction letters R, S, L. The several compartments a b c d, are likewise provided with electric light bulbs t as fully shown on the drawings, the same bemg protected by the hinged lid or top 9 as shown, and wh ch automatically looks when closed, by means of the spring latches 10 engaging the keepers 11. the compartment 03 is provided with a glass window (or opening) 8 through which the light rays may reach the license tag P (Fig. 5). The electric currents, may be sent through the lighting filament of the bulb t of any compartment a, b, c, d, by'a system of switches or push buttons well understood in the art.

. By sending the light into its'proper compartment, the particular letter L, R, S, will be illuminated, thus indicating to the pedestrian or other vehicle drivers, the intended direction of travel of the machine. Obviously, the invention is not to be restricted to rear casings, but may be applied to front casings as well. I

Having described our invention what we claim is:

In a signaling device for vehicles, a casing provided with a series of horizontally disposed compartments, means for lighting the interior of said compartments, a front slide for each compartment provided with a transparent or light-conducting signal symbol, and partitions separating said com- PatentedFeb.6,1917.

The outer side of partments; the partitions having their edges In testimony whereof we aflix our si aat the front of the casing formed into optnres in presence of two witnesses.

positely disposed grooves open at the to LEONARD L. SCHMIDT. Y of the casing, each groove cooperating wit THEODORE BEUCHEL. 5 the opposite groove on the adjacent parti- Witnesses: I 1

tion to form a pair for receiving the afore- EMIL STAREK,

grid .slides. J 0s. A. MICHEL. 

